Individualistic and collective causal knowledge structures for understanding sequential and emergent processes

This paper presents a unifying account for why many biological, ecological and other science processes that are taught in school curricula those occurring our everyday environment (such as the spread of Covid19) particularly difficult students to understand. These often-misconceived Emergent processes. The hypothesis is bring perspective Individualistic (a form linear) thinking suitable understanding Sequential processes, explain instead more appropriate Collective systems) thinking, thereby resulting misunderstanding. describes framework called PAIR-C defines causal knowledge structures underlying both needed explains generate misconceptions; shows how structure can help understand processes; suggests new instructional approach.